Conventionally, there is a technology for generating a panorama image and displaying the panorama image on a display device.
Such a conventionally technology merely allows a panorama image to be displayed. Therefore, it is now desired that a moving image is reproduced in a wider variety of forms.
Accordingly, this application discloses an information processing device, a storage medium having moving image data stored thereon, an information processing system, a storage medium having a moving image reproduction program stored thereon, and a moving image reproduction method, which are capable of reproducing a moving image in a wider variety of forms.
(1)
An example of information processing device described in this specification displays moving image on at least one display device. The information processing device includes a moving image acquisition unit and a moving image reproduction unit.
The moving image acquisition unit acquires moving image data which includes at least one piece of data of panorama moving image including panorama images each representing an image of a range wider than the range displayed on the display device and also includes at least one piece of data of non-panorama moving image including non-panorama images each representing an image of a range substantially the same as the range displayed on the display device. The moving image reproduction unit reproduces the at least one piece of data of panorama moving image and the at least one piece of data of non-panorama moving image in an order defined by the moving image data during a time duration from a start to an end of the moving image.
According to the structure of (1), the information processing device can reproduce the moving image in two forms, namely, the panorama moving image in which an image of a part of a relatively wide visual field is displayed, and the non-panorama moving image in which an image of substantially the entirety of a relatively narrow visual field is displayed.
(2)
The information processing device may be capable of displaying the moving image on a first display device and a second display device. The moving image reproduction unit may include a panorama reproduction unit and a non-panorama reproduction unit. The panorama reproduction unit, for reproducing the panorama moving image during the time duration, displays a moving image of a prescribed range of the panorama moving image on the first display device, and displaying a moving image, of a range changed by an operation made by a user, of the panorama moving image on the second display device. The non-panorama reproduction unit, for reproducing the non-panorama moving image during the time duration, displays the non-panorama moving image on the first display device.
According to the structure of (2), the non-panorama moving image is displayed on the first display device, which is different from the second display device which displays the display range of the moving image that is changed in accordance with an operation made by the user is displayed during the reproduction time duration of the panorama moving image. Therefore, for the user viewing the second display device during the reproduction time duration of the panorama moving image, the display device to view is switched in accordance with the switching between the panorama moving image and the non-panorama moving image. Thus, according to the structure of (2), switching between the panorama moving image and the non-panorama moving image can be notified to the user in an easy-to-see (natural) manner.
(3)
For reproducing the non-panorama moving image during the time duration, the non-panorama reproduction unit may display, on the second display device, an image notifying a suggestion that the first display device should be viewed.
According to the structure of (3), it can be notified more clearly to the user that the panorama moving image has been switched to the non-panorama moving image.
(4)
When the reproduction of the non-panorama moving image is to be switched to the reproduction of the panorama moving image during the time duration, the non-panorama reproduction unit may make a notification by an image and/or a sound by use of the second display unit before the reproduction of the non-panorama moving image is switched to the reproduction of the panorama moving image.
According to the structure of (4), switching of the non-panorama moving image to the panorama moving image can be notified to the user before the switching.
(5)
The moving image data may include type data by which it is distinguished whether an image in each of frames during the time duration from the start to the end of the moving image is a panorama image or a non-panorama image. The moving image reproduction unit may distinguish, based on the type data, whether an image in each of the frames is a panorama image or a non-panorama image, and may reproduce the moving image by a reproduction processes which is different in accordance with the distinguishing result.
According to the structure of (5), the information processing device can easily distinguish whether an image in each frame is a panorama image or a non-panorama image by use of the type data. Since a different reproduction process is executed in accordance with the distinguishing result, the information processing device can execute an appropriate reproduction process suitable to the type of the image.
(6)
When the image of a certain frame during the time duration is distinguished as the panorama image, the moving image reproduction unit may select, as a display target, an image, of a range determined by an operation made by the user, of the panorama image for the certain frame; and when the image of a certain frame during the time duration is distinguished as the non-panorama image, the moving image reproduction unit may select, as a display target, the range of the non-panorama image for the certain frame.
According to the structure of (6), the information processing device can present an image of a range in accordance with an operation made by the user during the reproduction of the panorama moving image, and can present the non-panorama image with certainty during the reproduction of the non-panorama image. As can be seen, according to the structure of (6), an appropriate display target suitable to the reproduction form (panorama moving image or non-panorama moving image) can be selected and presented to the user.
(7)
An example of storage medium described in this specification has stored thereon moving image data usable for reproducing a moving image on a display device. The moving image data includes at least one piece of data of panorama moving image and at least one piece of data of non-panorama moving image. The data of panorama moving image includes panorama images each representing an image of a range wider than the range displayed on the display device. The data of non-panorama moving image includes non-panorama images each representing an image of a range substantially the same as the range displayed on the display device. The moving image data is structured such that the at least one piece of data of panorama moving image and the at least one piece of data of non-panorama moving image are reproduced in an order defined by the moving image data during a time duration from a start to an end of the moving image.
According to the structure of (7), one moving image reproduced in a plurality of reproduction forms can be provided. Namely, one moving image reproduced in two reproduction forms, i.e., the panorama moving image in which an image of a part of a relatively wide visual field is displayed, and the non-panorama moving image in which an image of substantially the entirety of a relative narrow visual field is displayed, can be provided.
(8)
The moving image data may further include type data by which it is distinguished whether an image in each of frames during the time duration from the start to the end of the moving image is a panorama image or a non-panorama image.
According to the structure of (8), the information processing device for reproducing the moving image can easily distinguish whether an image in each frame is a panorama image or a non-panorama image by use of the type data.
(9)
Data of the panorama moving image of one frame and data of the non-panorama moving image of one frame may each represent an image area of a prescribed size. The data of the panorama moving image may represent a panorama image by use of a part of the image area of the prescribed size. The data of the non-panorama moving image may represent a non-panorama image by use of a part of the image area of the prescribed size.
According to the structure of (9), the data of the panorama moving image and the data of the non-panorama moving image have the same image area. Therefore, the structure of the moving image can be simplified. In addition, the device for reproducing the moving image can handle two types of data of the panorama image data and the non-panorama image data in substantially the same manner. Thus, the process for the moving image data is simplified.
(10)
The data of the panorama moving image and the data of the non-panorama moving image may be compressed by a prescribed method The compressed data of the non-panorama moving image of one frame may be structured to have a smaller data amount than that of the compressed data of the panorama moving image of one frame.
According to the structure of (10), the data amount of the moving image data can be reduced by compression. In addition, a non-panorama moving image can be used in a part of the entire moving image, so that the data amount of the moving image can be reduced as compared with the case where the entire moving image only includes panorama moving images.
(11)
The non-panorama image may have a higher resolution that that of the panorama image.
According to the structure of (11), the non-panorama moving image can be presented with a higher image quality. For example, when a moving image of a part of the entire moving image to which it is wished that the user should pay attention is formed of a non-panorama image, the moving image of the part to which it is wished that the user should pay attention can be presented with a high image quality with no increase in the data amount.
(12)
The data of the panorama moving image and the data of the non-panorama moving image may be included in one data file.
According to the structure of (12), the device for reproducing the moving image can reproduce the moving image including both of the panorama moving image and the non-panorama moving image by executing one data file. Therefore, it is made easier to handle the moving image including two types of images, namely, the panorama moving image and the non-panorama moving image.
(13)
The data of the panorama moving image, the data of the non-panorama moving image, and the type data may be included in one data file.
According to the structure of (13), even when the type data is set, like in the structure of (12), the moving image including both of the panorama moving image and the non-panorama moving image can be reproduced by executing one data file. Owing to this, it is made easier to handle the moving image including two types of images, namely, the panorama moving image and the non-panorama moving image.
(14)
A visual field of the non-panorama moving image may correspond to a part of a visual field of the panorama moving image.
According to the structure of (14), the content of the panorama moving image and the content of the non-panorama can be made continuous to each other. For example, in the case where a specific object or a specific person appears in the panorama moving image, a non-panorama moving image is provided as the moving image in a time duration in which the specific object or the specific person appears. In this manner, the user is caused to pay attention to the object or the person.
This specification discloses an information processing system including one or more devices having an equivalent function to that of the information processing device of (1) through (6). This specification also discloses a moving image reproduction program for causing a computer to act as a unit equivalent to each unit of the information processing device of (1) through (6). This specification further discloses a moving image reproduction method executed by the information processing system.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
According to the information processing device, the storage medium storing moving image data stored thereon, the information processing system, the storage medium having a moving image reproduction program stored thereon, and the moving image reproduction method described above, a moving image can be reproduced in two reproduction forms of a panorama moving image and a non-panorama moving image. Thus, the moving image can be reproduced in a wider variety of forms.